Improvement in motive-power for sewing-machines



A. BOUCHARD.

Improvement in Motive-Power for Sewing-Machines.

No. 126,441, Patented May 7,1872.

AMFHBIUd/F'HoGHAPH/C CON), (OSEOH/VES PROCESS PATENT FFIGE.

ADOLPH BOUCHARD, NE\V ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN M OTIVE-PO WER FOR SEWING'MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,441, dated May 7,1872.

Be it known to whom it may concern that I, ADOLPH BOUOHARD, of the cityof New Orleans, parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have madecertain Improvements in a Motive-Power for Running Sewing-Machines; andI hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawingwhich constitutes a part of the said specification.

My invention-as hereinafter described and as illustrated by the annexeddrawing, to which reference has already been made-is designed to be animprovement upon my improved motor for which Letters Patent of theUnited States were granted to me January 16, 1872, and is intended to beespecially applicable to the attainment of the same objects for whichthe said Letters Patent were granted. While my presentdevice may berendered available for a variety of useful purposes for which acomparatively limited motor may be required, it is especially designedto be more particularly adapted as an economical and efficient motor forthe operation of sewing-machines. To this end there are embodied in itsmechanical construction certain features necessary to secure itsoperation, when wound up, independently of the operator at thesewing-machine to which the power developed by the motor is transmitted.In the production of work by the sewing-machine of very great delicacyand fineness it is amply demonstrated by experience that the physicaleffort expended by the foot-treadle-motor process exhausts the power ofthe operator and diverts his attention from the work in hand. To personsof feeble health and delicate physical organization the operation of thesewing-machine is well known to have resulted seriously. The applicationof my improvement for the purposes for which it is designed overcomesthe objectionable difficulties above enumerated, diversities theoperation by requiring a change from the work of the machine to theoccasional exercise of winding up the motor, so that when the operatoragain sits down his undivided attention may be devoted uninterruptedlyto his work, and thus the whole operation becomes not only easy butpleasant-advantages which I have amply demonstrated by repeatedexperiments.

The mechanical agencies employed for the accomplishment of theabove-indicated results will be more clearly understood by reference tothe drawing, whereon it is amply illustrated and whereon, at-- Figure l,is shown a side elevation, with portions thereof broken away the moreclearly to expose to view certain important parts hereinafter specified;while Fig. 2 is a front elevation, whereon are more clearly exhibitedthe parts not plainly shown on Fig. 1.

By reference to the drawing it will readily be perceived that the movingpower of my device consists of a heavy suspended weight, A, confinedwithin an upright rectangular cylinder B, in which it loosely slides asit is elevated by the agency of hand-power applied to the crank a, or asit descends by its own gravity while operating any machine to which inpractice it may be applied. The heavy weight A is suspended from thepulley-blocks b and c, which, in turn, are secured to the top of thesaid upright cylinder B; and through the said blocks the rope d is madeto pass to the end of transmitting thereby the power developed by thedescending weight to the drum 0. As the weight A descends it is clearlyobvious that the said drum 0 is made likewise to revolve, and with itthe main cog-wheel e, which remains loosely upon the drum-shaft 0 as theweight is elevated, but when the weight descends it is rigidly connectedto the drum (J by means of the ratchet-wheel a, pawl l, and spring t. Aswill be perceived, the said cogwheel 6 gears into the pinion f upon theshaft Y, which is keyed thereto, as likewise the spur wheel g, by whichmeans motion is imparted to the pinion it upon the shaft 8, and wherebythe power is furthermore transmitted to the driving-belt wheel i, fromwhich, by means of a cord or belt, motion may be. imparted to asewing-machine or any other machine or device requiring a mechanicalmotor of the character to which this relates. As will be perceived, Ihave placed upon the outer end of the drum-shaft the cog-wheel u, intowhich the crankpinion w gears; but it will be plainly evident that thesaid wheel 11 may be omitted, in which case the pinion 20 would be madeto gear into the cog-wheel e aforesaid. E is a frame, of metal, which issecurely bolted to the upright cylinder B, and furnishes the bearingsfor the shafts o r s and the gearing and drum therewith connected orthereon placed.

The attachment of the said frame E directly to the said upright cylinderB is one feature which distinguishes this my present device from myformer patent, before mentioned, wherein said supporting-frame isseparate from and independent of the cylinder B. This improvementisdesirable as economizing space and first cost. Another distinguishingimprovement in my present device consists in the addition of the treadlefriction-brake F, which, when it is required to arrest the prog- Tess ofthe machine, is allowed to bear upon the face or side of the belt-wheeli. The pressur ot' the said treadle friction-brake against the saidbelt-wheel is effected by means of the spiral spring 04'. Pending thefree operation of the machine to which it may be applied, one foot ofthe operator will serve to keep the said friction-brake from bearingagainst the said belt-wheel, or its movement fast or slow may thereby beheld under perfect control.

My device is simple, economical, and efi'ectire; and, having describedit, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following claim:

As an improvement upon my patent of J anuary 16, 1872, for animprovement in motor power, the attachment of the frame E to the uprightcylinder B and friction-brake F and spring as, as and for the purposesherein set forth and described.

A. BOUGHARD. Witnesses:

L. J. OLMSTEAD, II. N. JENKINS.

